|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Teachers in Israel are intensifying their protests over surprise salary cuts, with more than 400 educational institutions remaining closed on Tuesday.
The ongoing strike, which began with a delayed opening of elementary schools on Sunday, has now escalated with threats of mass resignations if government representatives do not return to the negotiating table.
The protest was triggered by a Finance Ministry decision to reduce government salaries by 3.3 percent, citing the financial strain caused by the war in Gaza. The salary cut has been particularly hard on Israel’s educators, many of whom already earn relatively low wages.
The starting salary for new teachers in Israel is just $2,490 per month, and even experienced teachers only earn nearly double that after 30 years in the profession.
On Sunday, some teachers did not report to work until late, and many schools decided to remain closed for the entire day. About 25,000 teachers reportedly participated in the action.
The Israel Teachers Union quickly negotiated a partial concession with the Finance Ministry, reducing the pay cut to 0.95 percent and limiting its duration to just under two years, from May 2023 to December 2025.
Despite this agreement, many teachers were dissatisfied with the union’s response, especially after union leader Yaffa Ben David’s decision to accept the deal.
These teachers, frustrated with the outcome, began calling in sick on Monday and Tuesday in an unofficial strike, intensifying their actions as they sought further negotiations.
A statement issued by protest leaders warned that the situation would continue to escalate if their demands were not met. “The teaching staff in Israel is escalating its actions,” the statement read.
“Following the refusal to talk and the ongoing sanctions on teaching staff, a significant escalation has been decided: educational institutions will not open tomorrow, and thousands of teachers are organizing for a wave of mass resignations. The message is clear: whoever harms teachers will be left without education.”
The Ministry of Education has reacted by issuing a warning to teachers that participating in the strike under the guise of sickness would not be tolerated.
“Any unlawful absence will be deducted from one’s salary. A sick leave certificate does not constitute coverage for organized absence,” the ministry said in a statement.
Teachers who continue to disrupt the education system are being warned of salary reductions and possible further disciplinary actions.
As schools across the country faced closures, reports suggested that nearly 17,000-20,000 teachers, or approximately 10 percent of the teaching workforce, had called in sick on Monday. In Tel Aviv, the strike caused the shutdown of 218 pre-schools and over 50 elementary and middle schools.
The impact of the strike is being felt on the national stage as well, with the Education Ministry considering rescheduling a national standardized test for sixth graders that had been planned for Tuesday.
One point of contention that has emerged is the reported exemption of teachers in ultra-Orthodox schools from the salary cuts, a detail that has added to the frustration of the wider teaching community.
With tensions continuing to rise, the future of education in Israel looks uncertain as teachers demand fair compensation and greater respect for their profession.
If the government and union leaders fail to come to an agreement soon, the protests are expected to escalate further, potentially leaving many students without proper education in the weeks to come.